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Fancy Enough: Mid-range Priced Restaurants and Cafés

Here are some great restaurants and cafés that do not cost a fortune. From authentic Emirati cuisine in an old courtyard to fresh seafood at the beach. An average bill for this selection is 60–150 AED.
93
This picturesque café in an old windtower house with a courtyard in the old Al Fahidi neighbourhood has become a landmark on its own, and an instagrammers’ favourite. The menu features authentic Emirati cuisine — for example tahta laham: Tender shredded lamb cooked in Emirati spices served between two layers of white rice and topped with caramelized onions, fresh coriander, and dried raisins, served with a salad and yogurt (67 AED). 
​61/1, Al Fahidi street​Al Souq Al Kabeer, Bur Dubai, Dubai
Al Fanar
Emarati restaurant
117

A popular restaurant with several branches across the UAE. The interior with the coral stone walls, heavy wooden tables, vintage lanterns (“al fanar”), and bukhoor (traditional Middle Eastern fragrances), burning in the background, is inspired by old Dubai.

 

A menu is a study of Emirati traditions. Try machboos, a dish of meat, chicken, fish, or shrimp with rice, flavored with arabic spices and dry lemon (55–69 AED).

​Dubai Festival City​9, Crescent Drive street​Al Kheeran, Dubai Festival City, Dubai
Hanoi Naturally
Restaurant
29
Everything from the interior (it is a cafeteria with murals depicting a lively Hanoi street) to authentic food transports you right to Vietnam. Try bun bowl: rice noodles with roasted peanuts, salad and tofu. A brothy savoury Pho soup is also a must-try.
​Cluster C​C4, Cluster C street​Jumeirah Lakes Towers, Al Thanyah Fifth, Hadaeq Mohammed Bin Rashid, Dubai
3 Fils
Restaurant
20
A cozy eatery, serving fusion cuisine with a strong Asian vibe. Cod with zarandeado sauce and shallots costs 120 AED, salmon carpaccio — 58 AED. If you sit outdoors you can enjoy a nice view of the Jumeirah Fishing Harbour. 
​198/4, 4c street​Jumeirah 1, Jumeirah, Dubai
Allo Beirut
Restaurant
25
This lively restaurant serving Lebanese food is always packed with regulars. 
​4, 39b Street​Al Barsha 3, Hadaeq Mohammed Bin Rashid, Dubai
Biryani Pot
Restaurant
24
A chain of small and non-glamorous Indian eateries. The signature dish, biryani, is spiced rice with chicken, lamb, prawn, or vegetables (38–70 AED). Fans say that they have the best biryani in the city. 
​655, Jumeirah road​Umm Suqeim 1, Umm Suqeim, Dubai
41
The fast-casual local chain of cafes with spacious industrial interiors. The food follows the healthy eating trend. Their double-layered carrot cake with cream cheese frosting (34 AED for a slice) is a must-try.
​Eiffel 2​1/3, Sheikh Zayed road​Umm Al Sheif, Dubai
Wild & The Moon
Organic vegan restaurant
A hipster cafe, serving bowls and granola, vegan burgers and tacos, desserts and smoothies. Has a pretty instagrammable interior with hanging plants. Healthy, vegan, organic, eco-conscious.
​Dubai​Burj Khalifa/Downtown Dubai, Dubai
159
A lively hipster warehouse style café close to Alserkal Avenue (an industrial zone turned into a trendy art district). Fish tacos (69 AED) and burgers (52–65 AED), salads and bowls (around 60 AED), smoothies (35 AED) and specialty coffees (17–32 AED). Offers vegan options.
​Al Joud Centre​33, Sheikh Zayed road​Al Qouz Industrial Area 1, Al Qouz, Dubai
Logma
Restaurant
8
A casual eatery serving Emirati cuisine with a contemporary twist in modern interiors.
​Dubai Mall​3, Mohammed Bin Rashid Boulevard​Za'abeel 2, Za'abeel, Dubai
4
A nice little Vietnamese eatery for a casual bite. Simple and laid back decor, authentic cuisine. Some say they have one of the best pho soups in the city (28 AED).
​Tower 1​8, Mohammed Bin Rashid Boulevard​Burj Khalifa/Downtown Dubai, Dubai
Bu Qtair
Seafood restaurant
99
A seafood restaurant at Jumeirah beach. The menu is limited only by fishermens’ luck. You choose from freshly caught fish, they weigh it for you, you pay and wait for it to be fried with Indian spices. The numerous fans of the place say it is the best of its kind. A dinner for two is on average about 100-150 AED.
​6/3, Al Soon street​Umm Suqeim 2, Umm Suqeim, Dubai
32
Middle Eastern inspired vegetarian food served in a shaded courtyard in an old traditional house in Al Fahidi historical district. XVA is also a hotel and an art gallery. 
​3/2, Al Mussallah road​Al Souq Al Kabeer, Bur Dubai, Dubai
El Mostacho
Restaurant
1
A small and cosy Mexican eatery. Some call it “the best Mexican street food in Dubai”. Burritos (48 AED) are especially recommended.
​Silver Tower​I1, Cluster I street​Jumeirah Lakes Towers, Al Thanyah Fifth, Hadaeq Mohammed Bin Rashid, Dubai
Chalet Berezka
Restaurant
41
A Russian restaurant with karaoke, shishas, and a view of the Atlantis, the Palm. Most of the regulars are Russian, but Berezka is recommended to anyone who is interested in Russian cuisine or simply wants to party hard. Try herring salad (55 AED), pelmeni (45 AED), borsch (45 AED) and Napoleon cake (65 AED). 
​The Pointe​4, Al Khanezi street​The Palm Jumeirah, Dubai
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